A German shorthair that defended his owners from two pit bulls that were eventually shot by Council Bluffs Police officers is recoving from his wounds, but still faces many obstacles on the road to recovery.

Christy Thomas said her German shorthair dog, named Tytus, was attacked by two pit bulls in her yard on Jan. 9 after confronting the dogs when her son was bit by one of the pit bulls.

Thomas said her 13-year-old son, Andre, was outside feeding Tytus in his kennel. Thomas said her other dog, Mister, a dachshund-rat terrier mix, was also in the yard when a male and female pit bulls approached the fence.

Thomas said the female pit bull pushed through the latched gate and attacked Mister on the deck to her home.

"I heard (Mister) screaming, and I opened the door and the pit bull had the puppy down on his back with its mouth over his neck," Thomas said. "I started kicking (the pit bull) and hitting it with a frying pan to get it to let go of (Mister)."

Thomas said her son also came up on the deck and attempted to free Mister from the pit bull, but the pit bull bit his hands. When Tytus heard her son scream after being bitten, the dog came onto the deck and attacked the pit bull.

Tytus came around the house and saw the pit bull and jumped up and bit her on the head," Thomas said. "They both rolled off of the deck and I got my son and Mister into the house."

As Tytus attacked the female pit bull, Thomas said the male pit bull entered the yard. She was trying to get Tytus to go into the house when he was attacked by the male pit bull. As Thomas's son called 911, she watched in horror as both pit bulls attacked Tytus.

When two Council Bluffs Police officers arrived, Thomas said the dogs were still mauling Tytus. One of the officers shot the male pit bull with a Taser and the dog turned towards the officer. The officer then fired two rounds from his firearm into the male, killing it.

Thomas said Tytus and the female pit bull both ran from the yard. Police reports indicated that the female pit bull was chased by a second police officer to the area of 14th Street and the Avenue G service road. The officer attempted to use a Taser on the animal, but the Taser had no effect. The officer then shot the pitbull twice, killing it.

Thomas said a neighbor opened their garage door for Tytus, and he was found injured in the garage. The dog has been taken to a veterinarian numerous times since the attack. Thomas said Tytus suffered from a large edema on his chest and an artery was severed in his right front leg. Both wounds have drainage tubes inserted, so Tytus is forced to where a "lampshade" collar to avoid pulling them out. Thomas said he is not pleased about it.

"Titus has required 24-hour care, so I've gotten one night sleep since this happen," Thomas said. "He is still in a lot of pain, but he's determined and he is very strong-willed."

Andre Thomas is physically well after being bitten by the pit bull, Thomas said. He suffered scratches from the bites and rabies tests on the dogs were negative. However, the emotional wounds will be with both for some time.

"You could not even imagine the mauling; it was the most terrifying thing," she said. "That pit bull was trying to get into my house and a hold of my son. It did that much damage to my dog, what would it have done to my son?"

"Tytus saved my son, there is no doubt," she said.

Council Bluffs Chief Animal Control Officer Galen Barrett said that David Still of Council Bluffs was cited for two counts of failure to confine a pit bull.

A Council Bluffs man is being ordered to pay the veterinary bills for a dog that was attacked by his two pit bulls earlier this month. Authorities say David Still's dogs escaped from their pen on January 9th and ran some 15 blocks from home. Chief Animal Control Officer Galen Barrett says it was there an 11-year-old boy was inside his fenced yard feeding his "wiener" dog.

Barrett says the female pit bull came through the fence and started to attack the boy's dachshund. The boy tried to break up the fight and got bitten on both hands. Barrett says that's when the boy's second dog, a German Shorthair, came to the rescue.

Barrett says it ended up being the two stray pit bulls attacking the German Shorthair, and "it was probably a good thing the German Shorthair entered the picture. It probably saved both the dachshund and saved at least some further injury to the boy."

Police officers responded to the scene, used a tazer on both pit bulls but it had no effect. The attacking dogs turned on the officers, who shot and killed both pit bulls. The dachshund remains under veterinary care. Still pleaded guilty to two counts of failure to confine a pit bull. Barrett says Still was in compliance with the laws in place for pit bull owners.

The judge suspended fines against Still and ordered him to pay the vet bills. The judge will revisit the issue in a month.
In Council Bluffs, a law was passed several years ago outlawing pit bulls. Those who owned the animals at the time were grandfathered in if they met certain criteria. If new pit bull owners want to move into the city, they need to find a new home for their dogs.